Bringing out the best

Pro football prospects take center stage this week in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine, the annual showcase that presents some of the best athletes available in the draft.

Not everyone takes part; not everyone who participates is certain of stardom. But a select few will leave having impressed teams and scouts with their talent.

Key to the Combine: testing. Players will be put through their paces on the field, in test rooms and before doctors and in the media spotlight. It's the on-field portion that gets the lion's share of attention.

Here's a look back at the top performers in the Scouting Combine's seven marquee events since 2006. For several, taking home gold at the league's annual "Underwear Olympics" hasn't translated into pro riches.

Before the 2008 Combine, Johnson was being looked at as an intriguing middle-round sleeper. After his world-class style sprint, his recorded speed helped him shoot up draft boards. The Tennessee Titans took Johnson in the first round, and he quickly developed into CJ2K. NFL defenders are still trying to catch up to him.

Paea, a former youth rugby player, packed a wallop in his 6-1, 300-pound frame, modest for a defensive tackle. He showed off his brute strength with his legendary lifts, and the Bears were among the teams who took notice. The second-round pick was entrenched as a starter during his second season with the Chicago Bears in 2012.

Despite his top-of-the-charts hops, Washington didn't stick with the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that drafted him in the fifth round as a reserve defensive back. Last July, he was arrested for DUI and marijuana possession. He was released by the team a little more than a month later.

The Chiefs did hit on a safety in 2010 — Eric Berry — after the future first-rounder and Pro Bowler showed a 43-foot vertical at the Combine.

Simpson had track-and-field star credentials going into the Combine and didn't disappoint in one of the marquee events. As a second-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, he would trump that feat with the top play of the 2011 NFL season — an acrobatic flip to score a touchdown over Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington. Simpson didn't have any such highlights in his disappointing first season with the Vikings in 2012.

A playmaking product of Chip Kelly's offense delivered in the ultimate agility drill. The performance, however, wasn't enough to get the 6-1, 184-pound Maehl drafted. He was later signed by the Houston Texans and made their active roster at the end of the 2011 season. The team released him during its final round of cuts in 2012.

Allen, at 6-2, 200 pounds, with experience at both cornerback and safety, already was on the radar of many teams because of his size and versatility. Then he put it all together in acing the short shuttle and parlayed it into a first-round pick (16th overall) by the Miami Dolphins. After being released by Miami in the middle of the 2010 season, he had a productive run with the Texans before signing with the Bengals last year.

The Cardinals used a second-round pick on Fleming and were immediately impressed by his potential as a quick, agile corner. As a rookie, he started three games along with another exceptional athlete, Patrick Peterson. Fleming should be in line for more defensive playing time in 2013.

Skrine overcame his size (5-9, 185) and small-school status to become an all-around star at the Combine, and the Browns added him as a fifth-round pick. He started six games in 2012 and made a lot of plays (85 tackles, 11 passes defended), working often against slot receivers. The Combine improved his opportunity, and he made the most of it.